IP Library Granted Patent US 7,856,867
Granted Patent B2
US 7,856,867 · App. 12/366,955 · Granted Dec 28, 2010

Injector control performance diagnostic systems

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,856,867
App. No.
12/366,955
Granted
Dec 28, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A diagnostic system for a fuel injector control system according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of state monitoring modules and a fault determination module. The plurality of state monitoring module monitor a plurality of states of a driver circuit for a fuel injector based on data samples related to the plurality of states. The fault determination module diagnoses a fault in the driver circuit when at least one of the plurality of state monitoring modules receives a predetermined number of data samples indicating an undesired state within a sampling interval.

Claims (25)

1. A diagnostic system for a fuel injector control system, comprising:

an initialization state monitoring module that determines whether a driver circuit for a solenoid is in an initialized state or an un-initialized state in a first sampling interval, and that generates a first fault signal when a first number of times that the driver circuit is in the un-initialized state reaches a first predetermined number;

a driving state monitoring module that determines whether the driver circuit for the solenoid is in a driving state or a non-driving state in a second sampling interval, and that generates a second fault signal when a second number of times that the driver circuit is in the non-driving state reaches a second predetermined number;

a voltage monitoring module that determines whether a voltage level of the driver circuit for the solenoid is less than a desired boost voltage in a third sampling interval, and that generates a third fault signal when a third number of times that the voltage level is less than the desired boost voltage reaches a third predetermined number,

wherein the first fault signal, the second fault signal, and the third fault signal are independent signals; and

a fault determination module that communicates with the initialization state monitoring module, the driving state monitoring module, and the voltage monitoring module, and that diagnoses a fault in the driver circuit for the solenoid in response to any one of the first fault signal, the second fault signal, and the third fault signal.

2. The diagnostic system of claim 1 further comprising a solenoid control module that initializes the driver circuit for the solenoid to charge the driver circuit to the desired boost voltage and to enter the initialized state.

3. The diagnostic system of claim 2 wherein the driving state is after the initialized state.

4. The diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the initialization state monitoring module, the driving state monitoring module, and the voltage monitoring module includes a counter that counts one of the first number of times, the second number of times, and the third number of times, respectively.

5. The diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein the desired boost voltage corresponds to a boost voltage for a fuel injector associated with the solenoid.

6. The diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic system disables at least one of an engine and a fuel injector associated with the solenoid in response to at least one of the first fault signal, the second fault signal, and the third fault signal.

7. A diagnostic method for a fuel injector control system, the method comprising:

determining whether a driver circuit for a solenoid is in an initialized state or an un-initialized state in a first sampling interval;

generating a first fault signal when a first number of times that the driver circuit is in the un-initialized state reaches a first predetermined number;

determining whether the driver circuit for the solenoid is in a driving state or a non-driving state in a second sampling interval;

generating a second fault signal when a second number of times that the driver circuit is in the non-driving state reaches a second predetermined number;

determining whether a voltage level of the driver circuit for the solenoid is less than a desired boost voltage in a third sampling interval;

generating a third fault signal when a third number of times that the voltage level is less than the desired boost voltage reaches a third predetermined number,

wherein the first fault signal, the second fault signal, and the third fault signal are independent signals; and

diagnosing a fault in the driver circuit for the solenoid in response to any one of the first fault signal, the second fault signal, and the third fault signal.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising initializing the driver circuit for the solenoid to charge the driver circuit to the desired boost voltage and to enter the initialized state.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the driving state is after the initialized state.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising counting at least one of the first number of times, the second number of times, and the third number of times with a counter.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the desired boost voltage corresponds to a boost voltage for a fuel injector associated with the solenoid.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising disabling at least one of an engine and a fuel injector associated with the solenoid in response to at least one of the first fault signal, the second fault signal, and the third fault signal.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034185/0789 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0245 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0515 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0046 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025246/0056 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0048 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023201/0118 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2009
From: LUCIDO, MICHAEL J.; WANG, WENBO
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022219/0540 →